Nerves
by butterflydarlin
Summary: The night before Caroline's plan is due to be carried out in Tuscon, she finds she has to calm her accomplice down first.  Caroline/Bennett.


_Dollhouse _ain't mine.

Bennett has never been picky about _boys or girls_; it's personalities that she gets attracted to, though she can understand when a person is beautiful. And it never goes farther than her thinking too much about it, anyway. At first she expects she's just smitten with Caroline because – unlike pretty much everyone else – she _notices _Bennett, but as she gets to know her better she trusts it's more complex than that.

She knows Caroline is stunning, it's true, but that's only a part of it. Granted, she's fallen asleep thinking of those big brown eyes, that devil-may-care smile and the tiny, adorable cleft in her bottom lip, that essentially flawless long hair. She's imagined getting wrapped up in those toned yet delicate arms and those perfectly imperfect lips against her skin. But these are all just fantasies, she knows, and she would rather have Caroline halfway like she does now than not have her at all.

But there's all of the little things that convince her Caroline has a beautiful brain, too. Sure, she hasn't declared her major yet, but she's unquestionably smart, smarter than most people seem to give her credit for. Her conviction, too, earns Bennett's admiration, and her fearlessness. There's her way of making people – of making _Bennett _– feel special, like the only one in the room.

When she agrees to help Caroline with her plan, she has no delusions it'll be like an old adventure movie, all snappy dialogue and in the end the hero gets the girl. Nor does she expect any reward more than her own conscience telling her she did something good. But she still thinks it seems like the thing to do.

The night before they're set to go through with it, Bennett can't sleep. She kicks her covers to her feet, sure she's just overheating, but that doesn't help. Her hands are ice cold, anyway. She turns from side to side, squeezing her eyes shut fruitlessly. She lays on her back and does her times tables in her head, getting to eights before deciding it's a silly idea. She sighs, ready to give in to insomnia.

"You freakin' out, Benny?"

Embarrassed, she flips back over, facing Caroline in the dark. "A little," she admits. "I mean, I'll do it, you don't even need to worry, but I… I guess I'm nervous? I've never done _anything _like this. Even close."

Thoughtfully, Caroline nods. "That's normal," she says. "Nerves are part of what makes us human."

"They are," Bennett agrees. "Animals are only nervous when physically faced with a threat; most lack the brain capacity to premeditate an act and worry in theory."

Caroline laughs. "That's one of the things about you that's too cute."

"C-cute?" Bennett stammers.

"Yeah, cute," Caroline retorts playfully. "You fact-drop when you're nervous. Or just about any time, actually."

"It's habit, I guess. Some girls bite their nails or twirl their hair. I spout useless information."

"Not always useless," Caroline murmurs. There's a moment of pause, then she says, "Come here."

Her pulse racing, Bennett sits on the edge of Caroline's bed tentatively. "I, uhm, I could make tea? Sleepytime, maybe?"

"That's _so _much trouble," Caroline sighs, sounding beleaguered. She pats the spot next to her head. "Lay down, Benny."

The very idea speeds her heart up even more, but she does, shy about her bare legs brushing against Caroline's, cursing her decision to opt for pajama shorts tonight. She's facing away, though; even in the dark she thinks Caroline's eyes locking with hers would make her cheeks turn red. "My nerves will be gone by tomorrow, I promise, I'll be ready to go, I –"

"Calm down," Caroline admonishes gently.

"That's easier said than done," Bennett mutters.

"Let me help?" Caroline asks, not even waiting for an okay before she commands, "Roll on your stomach."

Bennett obliges, still hesitant, and Caroline promptly sits straddling her hips. It just makes Bennett swallow anxiously, but Caroline doesn't notice, or pretends she doesn't.

Then it's hands on shoulders, Caroline tenderly easing the tension Bennett carries there. Bennett, for her part, makes an embarrassing noise, one she's positive sounds _far _too sexual, but Caroline takes it as encouragement. "Yeah, there's good, huh? I can hear it clicking, you're way overdue for one of these."

"Probably," Bennett agrees weakly. "Uhm, you're – you're doing good, yeah. – Thanks, Caroline."

"Course, Benny, that's what I'm here for." She half-laughs, then, brushing Bennett's hair out of the way to work on her neck. "You oughta feel your heart racing, nerves still got the best of ya?"

"Er. Yes," Bennett mutters, feeling herself blush.

Caroline slides off her hips, then, and reclaims her laying down position. She turns Bennett back on her side and pulls her close in one swift moment, spooning her. Her breath is hot on Bennett's neck. "You aren't afraid to cuddle, are you?"

"N-no," Bennett lamely confirms. In a moment of impulse she grabs Caroline's hands in her own, holding them tightly.

"You know you've got popsicle fingers, right?" Caroline chuckles. "I'll warm 'em up, no worries." And she wraps her hands around Bennett's, watching for reactions. "Betcha you're cold all over," she murmurs. She props herself up enough to angle around and press her lips against Bennett's, startling her.

"—_Oh_," Bennett exclaims.

"That's a good oh, yeah?" Caroline smirks. She rolls Bennett over and kisses her again, more deeply this time; Bennett finally gets over her shock and reciprocates, feeling altogether inexperienced in comparison. Caroline is in _control _of her body, Bennett's just the ground control for her own personal spaceship. She follows Caroline's lead well, pressing closer against her warm body. They wrap arms around each other, Caroline's hands slipping down Bennett's back.

It sends a tingle up Bennett's spine, one she wishes she could mask better. Their lips stay locked as Caroline moves to straddle Bennett's hips again, this time with Bennett on her back, and Bennett can't help but break the kiss for a moment to say inarticulately, "Whoa."

"Not too fast, right, Benny?" Caroline asks, a modicum of concern appearing in her voice.

"Right," Bennett declares, thinking it's impressive how Caroline can reduce her to one-word sentences. There's another "oh!" as, upon this confirmation, Caroline kneads Bennett's breast, and Bennett tosses her head back against the pillow, unable to believe her incredible luck. That Caroline may have been nursing feelings for her all this time too doesn't even enter her mind; she isn't good at believing such things.

"Want me to tire you out?" Caroline questions, her eyes glinting. Bennett can't do anything but nod fervently, but that's enough for Caroline, who slips a hand beneath the cotton of Bennett's pajama shorts and her underwear and begins to go to work.

Bennett bites her lip, at first, but she can't help but let out a shuddery sort of sigh. She pulls Caroline to her to kiss her, wanting so much to revel in this as long as she can, and the pattern keeps up for as long as she can take. When she climaxes, surprising even herself with how loud her moaning is, Caroline just grins, collapsing against her.

"That do you good?" Caroline murmurs, giggling. Bennett giggles, too, pressing another kiss to Caroline's lips.

"More than good," Bennett confirms, eyelids fluttering.

"Well – good," Caroline nods. "We've got a day ahead of us, don't we? What say we get some rest?"

"Probably wise," Bennett agrees. As Caroline curls next to her, she sighs happily. "You know you amaze me."

"It's mutual," Caroline tells her softly, holding her close. "Now my genius needs her sleep, promise I'll keep you safe."

Her first reaction is to shake her head demurely, like she usually does when people drop the g-word about her, but she'll let the compliment stay just that. She's basking too much to think that anything Caroline says may be untrue.


End file.
